race rubber for high HP, FWD cars

[John A. Heer]

Hi everybody:

I am in dire straights here. I have run my Mazdaspeed3 for three
autocross seasons, participating in maybe 6-8 events each season.
Courses are between 35-50 seconds usually. Each season, I have
shredded my race tires before the end of the season. Three seasons -
three new sets of expensive race tires. And I have only competed in
half to two-thirds of the events each season, not all of them.

My first and second sets were Hoosier A3S05. I did not expect them to
last too long, and I was right. But I got them at a huge discount
because they were discontinued models. So this year, I went with
Hankook z214 C70 based on recommendations from local autocrossers who
said they should last me through at least one season. Well, no dice.

On the Hankooks, I ran about 15-20 runs at three events. Cool
temperatures for most - no 90 degree days or anything; one event was
in the wet after a cool rain. I sprayed them down in between runs with
water. I had pressures between 45-50 in front and between 33-37 in
rear. No rollover that I could see. I switched fronts to rears and
vice-versa between events (and between morning and afternoon at one
event). Yet, one of the fronts chunked on the outside edge at the last
event. There is a strip of about one inch of tread at the outside edge
which is just GONE.

The car is aligned to stock specs. No mods at all. Completely stock.

I have come to the conclusion that the high HP, front wheel drive,
nose-heavy dynamics wreak havoc on tires (no sh*t, Sherlock). So --
anyone have suggestions on tires or techniques that will allow me to
race a full season without cording the tires?

John Heer
07 Mazdaspeed3
98 SE (R.I.P)
93 SE-R (sold)
91 SE-R (R.I.P.)